The Guinness Book of Records has Pfund Molkerei as the World’s Most Beautiful Dairy Shop:

Pfund Molkerei - Dresden

Porto in Portugal has the most beautiful bookshop in the world, but Dresden certainly has the “most beautiful dairy shop in the world”. But don’t take my word for it – check it out for yourself in the 1998 entry in the Guinness Book of Records.

Pfund Molkerei dairy is in Dresden’s Outer Neustadt district. Today tourists seek it out just as keenly as the other sightseeing attractions such as the Zwinger, Frauenkirche and the Semper Opera. Bus loads of tourists call in each day to visit this extraordinary dairy shop. And while visitors may enjoy the refreshing buttermilk, taste some of their exclusive cheeses and savour some home made ice-cream or Saxon specialties in the restaurant upstairs, what really impresses is the shop’s decorations – an amazing feast for the eyes.

The interior of the Pfund Dairy store is like a mini palace. It consists of fancifully decorated tile paintings from the neo-Renaissance period. Every inch of the shop is covered with images of the dairy farm, angels and cherubs, children at play, birds and rabbits, mythical creatures and floral elements in neo-Renaissance style. Note that these are no ordinary hand-painted tiles. The scenes on the walls, floor and counter, are from the art department of none other than Villeroy & Boch Dresdner Steingutfabrik.

About Pfund Dairy and its Founder

Paul Gustav Leander Pfund (1849-1923), a successful farmer in Reinholdshain was the founder of Pfund Dairy. When he and his wife first came to Dresden in 1879 with their six cows, he saw milk being delivered from the surrounding villages in open carriages and once they were in the city, they were also poorly cooled.

Pfund Molkerei Counter

Pfund wanted to supply the growing urban population with hygienic milk and started a shop in Görlitz Street. Through his shop window, Pfund kept watch of the customers in the street and he produced milk according to customer demand. For quality, the milk was strained twice through fine cloth and allowed to cool and his milk was sold directly to customers. Pfund’s reputation and customer base grew and his shop soon became too small. He then moved into Bautzner Straße.

Pfund was a clever and far-sighted businessman who didn’t stop at just producing fresh milk for his Dresden customers. He was the first person to produce condensed milk in Germany, developed baby food with the quality of mother’s milk and goat milk soap for sensitive skin. His goods were sold to Dresden and internationally as well. His greatest achievement, however, was the introduction of pasteurised milk in 1900.

Visiting the World’s most Beautiful Dairy Shop

Visitors to Pfund Molkerei can try a big range of farm and artisan cheeses from local producers as well as international cheeses. While enjoying the ambience of the shop, you can also partake in cheese tasting with a fine glass of Saxon wine or a glass of their fresh milk with freshly baked baguette and cheese. Tours around the dairy are available as well but these need to be arranged in advance. If you can’t make it to the Neustadt district, Pfund has a branch just opposite the Frauenkirche at Am Neumarkt 1, D-01067 Dresden.